One Machine for Three Sauces - Rotor Pump Filling Technology
By:Salinovate Team Mar 01,2026
I. Introduction: The Value of a Multi-Functional Machine
For small and medium-sized sauce manufacturers, equipment investment is one of the biggest costs. If a single machine can fill multiple products, it not only saves on procurement costs but also reduces workshop space requirements and improves equipment utilization.
Recently, we conducted a multi-functionality test on our SLXF-1 small spout bag filling capping machine. Adopting rotor pump filling technology, the machine was tested to fill ketchup, nut butter, and salad dressing. The results were encouraging: one machine perfectly handled all three sauces.
II. Common Characteristics of the Three Sauces
Although ketchup, nut butter, and salad dressing have very different flavors, from a filling perspective, they share three main characteristics:
Item | Tomato Sauce | Nut Butter | Salad Dressing | Filling Requirement |
Viscosity | High (20,000-30,000 cP) | Extremely high (30,000-50,000 cP) | Medium to high (15,000-25,000 cP) | Strong delivery is required; there must be no pulsation. |
Granule | None (delicate type) | None (delicate type) | None (emulsified type) | No need to consider particle protection |
State | Homogeneous slurry | Oil-based paste | Oil-in-water emulsion | Gentle handling is required to prevent emulsion breakage. |
It is these commonalities that make it possible for the same equipment to process these three materials.
III. Why Choose Rotor Pump Filling Technology
The SLXF-1 model small sauce filling machine used in this test employed a rotor pump filling system, a technology particularly suitable for high-viscosity, particle-free sauces.
Technical Features | Handling Value |
Volumetric metering | Servo motor precisely controls rotor displacement per revolution, the filling accuracy is stable. |
Pulseless delivery | The filling process is smooth and leak-free. |
Low shear force | It is gentle on salad dressing emulsions and prevents emulsion breakage. |
High filling speed | The rotor has a fast conveying speed and high efficiency. |
In contrast, piston-type filling is less effective for processing high-viscosity food sauces.
IV. Testing Procedure
Following are the specific introduction to the filling machine test with three sauces. You can read the information below and watch the filling machine video to see the filling performance.
1)Test Equipment:
Model: SLXF-1 Small Fully Automatic Suction Bag Filling and Capping Machine
Filling System: Single-head rotor pump, servo drive
Filling Range: 100-200g in this test (filling time can be set in unlimited increments, but suction bags generally hold a maximum of 1kg.)
2)Test Materials:
Tomato Sauce (Commercial grade, viscosity approx. 25,000 cP)
Nut Butter (Peanut butter, viscosity approx. 45,000 cP)
Salad Dressing (Mayonnaise type, viscosity approx. 20,000 cP)
3)Testing Result:
Item | Ketchup | Nut Butter | Salad Dressing | Result |
Filling speed | 24Bpm | 20Bpm | 24Bpm | 20-25Bpm |
Leakage | Basically no | Basically no | Basically no | Anti-drip filling valve with back suction function, no leakage. |
Stringy | Basically no | Basically no | Basically no | Anti-drip filling valve with back suction function, no stingy problem. |
Sealing performance | Good | Good | Good | Sealing test passed |
Key Findings:
● Nut butter, due to its highest viscosity, has a slightly slower filling speed.
● Salad dressing is shear-sensitive; the low-shear characteristics of the rotary pump ensure emulsion stability.
● All three materials can be processed stably on the same equipment without requiring any component replacement.
V. Value for Small and Medium-Sized Producers
What do these test results mean for small and medium-sized sauce businesses?
Application Scenarios | Value |
Multiple product lines | One machine can handle multiple sauces, saving investment. |
New product development | No need to purchase equipment separately for new product categories. |
Seasonal adjustment | Production plans can be flexibly adjusted according to market demand. |
Initial stage | Start with one device and expand later. |
VI. Conclusion: One Machine with Infinite Possibilities
Typically, a single sauce filling machine cannot be universally applicable, capable of filling all sauces. However, if the quantity of sauces is not large and they share many common characteristics, then a single filling machine may be sufficient to meet diverse filling needs. As demonstrated in the test presented in this article, when all three sauces are high-viscosity and free of particles, rotor pump filling technology is a very suitable and universal choice. If other food sauces with different characteristics are added, then even more diverse filling technologies need to be considered.
